COPS OUT ON BAIL

Cops out on bail

By BRIAN KAJENGO

Nelspruit – The Provincial Commissioner of Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Thulani Ntobela encourages members of the South African Police Service (SAPS) to be exemplary to the public in their respective duties by avoiding corrupt and criminal activities as they be arrested just like any other corrupt criminal.

 “Police are not immune from arrest. Anyone found committing crime or involved in corrupt activities will be arrested and treated as such (criminal). I expect you to know the law better and you should at all times uphold by the constitution of the Republic of South Africa and also respect our code of conduct,” said General Ntobela.

 His statement emanates from an incident where it is alleged that on Monday 10 February 2014, Warrant Officer Zephaniah Nkosi (45) and Constable Vuyisile Mashaba (29) both stationed at Low’s Creek working shifts, were informed about a suspicious bakkie which was spotted by a security guard.

The said vehicle was seen driving through the plantations situated on the borders between South Africa and Swaziland around the Low’s Creek policing precinct. The two members then followed the vehicle and duly managed to stop and searched it. They found three male occupants and five bags full of dagga loaded at the back of the bakkie.

They (members) allegedly demanded cash from the two men identified as prime suspects and in the process constable Mashaba allegedly assaulted one of them.

The suspects told the two police officials who were on duty and driving a state owned vehicle, that they had only R500 in their possession. It’s further alleged that the members refused R500 bribe and instructed the suspects to call the people where the dagga was be delivered to help them with money.

The suspects did as commanded by the police officials but with no luck. They then told the owner of the bakkie to give them R10 000 for the bakkie not to be confiscated and another R5 000 for the dagga.

When all their demands not met, the two members took the dagga and freed the suspects. It’s later discovered that only one bag of dagga was registered on the exhibit register and the other four are unaccounted for. It found that they made a false entry in the exhibit register that the only bag which handed in found left unattended by unknown individuals.

On 13 February 2014, they appeared before the Low’s Creek Periodical Court facing charges of fraud, assault common, defeating the course of justice, theft of exhibits, and also charged under the prevention and combating of corrupt Act.

Both Warrant Officer Nkosi and Constable Mashaba released on a bail of R1 500 each, and their case  postponed to 27 March, 2014.

“I find it very disturbing that the people who are entrusted with the custody of the law are alleged to have broken it. I am happy though about the members who became so brave enough to face their own colleagues and put them behind bars. This is indicative that nobody is above the law. I encourage them to continue be disciplined members like this so that we could create a safer and secure province”, said General Ntobela